Ghost of NYC
by The Mutant Rebel
Summary: Something had happened to Leo while he was in Central America and he's keeping it a secret from his family. Why, you may ask? Maybe because the truth is a bit too hard to believe...
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Hey all. This is from the challenge, "A Year Without Leo" that I created on Stealthy Stories. I was curious as to why Leo hadn't returned to New York when he was supposed to and explored the possibilities. I wanted to make a story that took a unique approach to this challenge. You'll see what I mean in the upcoming chapters ^^.

Please, pretty please, read and review. I want to know what you guys think. Thank you~

* * *

["blah"]= spoken in a different language

"blah"= dialogue, someone talking out loud

'_blah_'= a thought

* * *

**Ghost of NYC**

**Prologue**

_**14 Months Ago**_

_The Jungles of Central America…_

Leonardo's shell slammed almost painfully against the base of a large, moss covered tree, forcing his exhausted body to hide itself from the on coming threat that was currently trying to track him down. Distant shouts uttered in rapid, fluid Spanish filled his ears, echoing amongst the once quiet, tranquil spaces of the surrounding forest. His heart was going into hyper drive with panic and fear; adrenaline coursed wildly through his veins as he waited painfully for his pursuers to pass him by and leave him be. He was not in the position, nor the condition, to fight them off now…

["Where is that demon? Where could he have gone? We had him!"] The voice of one of his assailants spoke out clearly amongst the chaotic, angry shouts that seemed to fill and invade the area. Although Leo still had a hard time understanding the language, he was able to roughly translate what was being said.

["The bastard couldn't have gone far,"] came a reply from another man, ["I got a hit on him. He shouldn't be to hard to find him now… and even if we don't find him, he's as good as dead."]

Leo winced at that; the sad part of that statement was that it was far to close to the truth. Through the dark and shaded ambiance of a forest cloaked by night, Leo's golden eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they traveled down the length of his own body, quickly locked onto the source of his fatigue and discomfort- a severely large bullet wound that had pierced through one of the lower plates of his plastron. He had gotten careless, walking right into a trap that he could've easily evaded had he been paying close attention to his surroundings.

And now… he was probably going to die because of his negligence.

Leonardo swallowed thickly, allowing his head to fall back against the soft blanket of moss that covered the bark of the tree he was currently resting against. One of his hands rose to weakly cover the gaping wound, apply light pressure to it as a last attempt to delay the inevitable. A small part of him was thankful that the voices of his attackers- soon to be murderers- had finally began to vanish as they moved further and further away from his location but he knew there was nothing to be thankful about as he grew closer and closer to death with each passing second.

He didn't like the idea of dying hundreds of miles away from his home in New York City. He didn't like the idea of dying by the hands of dishonorable men who used intimidation and fear to obtain power in a place where rules meant nothing and chaos reigned free. He didn't like the idea of dying at the ripe, young of age of seventeen. Hell… he didn't like the idea of dying without saying his goodbyes to his family. He could only imagine how his brothers and his father would feel, awaiting his return after a whole year of leadership training only to be confused, worried, and angry when he never came home. How would they feel when his weekly letters suddenly stopped coming? Would they come to look for him, despite the distance they'd have to travel in order to do so? Would they be able to find him if they did come? … Would there even be a body left to find?

An unprovoked shiver racked Leo's body suddenly- the chill of death was starting to settle upon his bones; he didn't have long now. Leo attempted to stand his feet, using one of his hands as leverage to aid with the task by leaning it against the tree. He stumbled clumsily forward, barely being able to catch himself as a splash of blood hit the forest floor at the sudden movement. He clung to the trunk to the best of his ability as his vision began to dark and fuzz. He panted, trying to gather as much oxygen as possible as he felt his grip on reality gradually fading away.

"D-damn," He cursed before unceremoniously collapsing back against the natural groove of the trunk, deeming it as his final resting place. It wasn't like he was going to be able to make a grave for himself or anything like that…

His golden orbs lifted tiredly to the night sky, gazing at it through a small opening that the canopy of leaves, branches, and vine above provided. The nebulous skies were dusted over with stars that far brighter than they could ever been in New York. He silently wished he could have told his family about them, as well as his adventure in Central America, as his vision finally faded to black...

**A/N**: Don't worry folks, he ain't dead XD

There is a bigger plot going on here. Hopefully, I can update chapter 1 soon. Let me know what you think.


	2. Home

**Ghost of NYC**

**Chapter 1 - Home  
**

_**Present Day...**_

_New York City; Unknown Location..._

A man panted heavily as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, not daring to stop not daring to turn around and face his pursuers, and not daring to think of what would happen to him if he were to be caught. The streets were oddly vacant and silent; the loud sounds of his footsteps, clapping and echoing the concrete, were the only sound that could be heard for blocks. The man didn't like how there appeared to be no witnesses or onlookers in the immediate area but he could not complain about that at the moment. He had to get away. He had to find safety somewhere, even if the closest safe haven happened to be an open bar nearby or a convenience store that hadn't closed up for the night yet.

"_**Murderer**_..." a voice sounding as smooth and as soft as a winds whisper, brushed against the back of his ear like a warm caress of a woman's breath. His shoulders tensed up at the alien feeling, his hand shot up to rub vigorously against his ear, as if acid had brushed against him rather than a whisper.

"L-leave me alone!" He shouted to the voice with a weak desperation, his running never ceasing despite how tired he was or how much he want to stop in order to catch him breath, "I didn't do anything!"

"_**Li-ar**_," came to feminine, seemingly omnipresent, voice responded in a sing-song tone, saying it in a manner that reminded one of a child getting ready to tattletale.

The man whimpered, stumbling slightly as he ran aimlessly, searching for some sanctuary or solace away from that... that _**demon**_. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he had noticed a church- a medium sized cathedral that's gate's still appeared to be open- coming up at the next block. He gasped with relief and delight, and ran towards it with a new found hope. What better way to ward off something as disturbing and as demonic as the creature that was currently chasing him by entering a place of purity and holiness. There was no way he would be followed if he entered He would be safe, he was sure of it.

Upon approaching the sanctified building, the man ran past the open gates and up the stone steps, nearly tripping a quarter of a dozen times as he went. He all but threw the wooden doors open, dashing into the wide, dimly lit quarters of the sanctuary within. He slammed the doors closed, not bothering to check how close the creature had been to on his trail. He didn't stop there- he moved hastily down the center aisle of the cathedral, not stopping to catch his breath until he was at the altar. The lit candles that stood before it was the only source of true light in the large room, flickering slightly when the wind he carried behind him at his quick approach finally caught up to him. Once he deemed it safe enough to stop, he spun on his heels, turning toward the entrance to check if the demon had been able to push past the door. Or worst... it had somehow slithered its way inside already.

He swallowed thickly to coat his dry, parched throat with moisture. His wide, frightened eyes swiftly scanned over each row of pews before him, searching for any hint or sign of movement. Nothing stirred, all was silent. He released a long sigh of relief, almost collapsing as the tension flood out of his body in waves. Perhaps he had merely been seeing things; maybe his guilt was just getting to him by inducing hallucinations. He hadn't been sleeping well since the trial... maybe that was why-

"Don't get comfortable just yet...you _murderer_..."

The man tensed at the voice- feminine and as smooth as silk- that resounded directly behind him. He feel a chilling air brush against the back of his neck, a sense of dread crept into the bottom of his stomach as he started a little, internal battle with himself: to turn around or not turn around? That was the question...

He gulped loudly, slowly turning around until his eyes locked onto a pair of pupil-less, dark brown eyes fringed by long, full eyelashes. He would have thought that they were beautiful... if the person that they belong didn't appear so... unreal... so _frightful. _He quickly backed away from the figure that had been standing a mere foot away from him, causing him to trip over his own feet and fall backwards. He tried to crawl away but an unknown force seemed to be keeping him in place; it was almost as if his strength had been willed away... or something was pressing him down to the stone ground of the sanctuary, "W-what do you want from me? I'll give you anything you want, alright? _A-anything_!"

"Well, that would be a bit pointless," A set of plump, nicely shaped lips smirked down at him, "Since the only thing that I want from _you _is your _**life**_..."

* * *

_The Lair_

Leonardo opened his eyes when he felt something small and warm tap his nose lightly, bringing him back to the world of the conscious. He was a bit surprised to find the familiar, wide irises of Michelangelo's cat, Klunk, staring down at him, the British red Tabby pawed lightly at the turtle leader's botanical green face as a means to wake him up. Leo blinked lazily up at the feline, his vision still hazy and unfocused from being awoken from a dreamless sleep.

"Uh... hello Klunk," He said groggily, his eyes refocusing to the background behind the cat's head, the dark paint of the ceiling, as well as the multiple pipe lines that hovered above, came into view. The smell of herbal tea and lukewarm lasagna permeated and filled the air around him and the soft sounds of a quieted television buzzed in his ears. He was lying down on something soft and familiar- the living room couch, he soon realized- and could feel the warmth of a blanket draped over his body. He sighed in contentment- all the clues to his whereabouts were clear...

He was home.

He still had a hard time reassuring himself that he wasn't imagining things, that he wasn't waking up within a dream, or that he wasn't anywhere near Central America. He was really _home_, in New York City with his family and friends. Far away from his worries, his fears, and his nightmares. He was... he was really, truly home...

Leo slowly sat up into a sitting position, causing Klunk to gracefully relocate himself onto of the leader's lap. He glanced around, somewhat surprised that he had wound up sleeping on the living room couch rather than on his futon. He didn't even remember going to sleep the night before. All he had remembered was sitting down to watch television with Master Splinter and Donatello... and then... what happened after that? The blue clad ninja placed a hand at the bottom of his chin in thought, thinking over the events of the night before. There was no way he had passed out for no reason; Leonardo Hamato didn't just _pass out_- only if he was overworked or stressed out from excessive training... he had been _neither_ so where had all the lost time gone?

"Oh, you're finally awake," The blue clad warrior turned his head in the direction of the voice, smiling with greeting when he saw his younger brother, Donatello, silently enter the room, carrying a plate in one hand and a mug in another. The brainy turtle returned the gesture with a smile of his own as he made his way over to his brother, "You feeling better now?"

"Uhh...," Leo started with uncertainty, his hands unconsciously gripped at the dark blue blanket that had been haphazardly thrown over him, "I'm... not sure what you mean Don."

Donatello's eye ridges pulled together almost automatically at his older brother's words, confusion and concern flashed through his light brown eyes he made his way over to Leo's relaxed form. The purple clad genius place the plate and the mug on the coffee table in front of the couch before he sat beside Leo, Klunk released a quiet 'meow' as he began to nuzzle Don's arm in order to get attention, "You… you don't remember what happened last night?"

"N-no," Leo stuttered, straining to remember what had happened the night before, "All I remember is watching soap opera reruns with you and father. I... I can't remember anything after that."

Donatello stared at his older brother for a few more second, taking in his words, before he sighed, "You had a really bad headache last night. You we so disoriented, you nearly fell down the stairs on your way to your room," Don gingerly reached up and undid the knot of Leo's dark blue mask, pulling it away and placing it on the table, beside the plate of steaming food, "It was a good thing Raph was following up after you... or else you probably would've broken your neck."

Leo cringed at the thought, watching the intellectual turtle as he retrieved a miniature flashlight from his belt, shining the light over the leader's golden eyes in order to check the reaction of his pupils. Leo tried not to squint at the reaction of the brightness that invaded his vision but he couldn't help it. Don moved a little closer in order to see well.

Several seconds past before Leo lightly cleared his throat, unsure of what Don's eerie silence meant. Don shifted his gaze slightly, letting the turtle leader know that the genius was looking _**at**_ him and not at the muscle reaction of his irises, "So... am I healthy?"

Donatello gave him a stern look- a look that usually let all of his brothers know that he wasn't kidding around. He was the only one that could really tend to any serious injuries that came about; no offense to April but... it was rather hard to tend to someone that was of a different species, let alone a mutated one. There was also the fact that Leo had been gone for two whole years. The purple clad ninja had done check ups one each member of the Hamato household once every two to three months. Leo, on the other hand, had no one to care for him and check up on him during the time that he was away. Who knows what kind of tropical diseases he could've caught without even knowing it. What if he had been injured while he had been down there and unknowingly harbored a long term infection? What if he brought back some sort of parasite that had contracted from drinking contaminated water or from eating undercooked food? That little bugger could be running rampant it the leader's digestive system right now, eating away at the lining of his stomach or... or-

"Donnie?" Leo said, bringing his younger brother back from his worrisome thoughts.

"H-huh?"

"You alright?" the turtle leader asked, tilting his head to the side with a raised eye ridge; why was his brother looking at him as if he had been marked for death or something? All in all, the look was making Leo a bit nervous.

"Yeah," He breathed out, shaking his head as if the action would rid his mind of worry for his brother's health. I withdrew the flashlight, quickly tucking it away before he continued to talk, "I spaced out a little, didn't I?"

Leo smiled with understanding, "A little, yeah. Were you going into mother-hen-mode again?"

Don successfully repressed a pout, swiftly changing the subject, "... A-anyway, you seem to be fine. The coloring of your skin is back to normal and your manner of speech sounds much better... but I'm a bit worried about your loss of memory. That would suggest that you have something that is a little more complicated than a mere headache or migraine. I won't know for sure until your check-up."

Leo blinked, "...My check-up?"

Donnie nodded slowly, "_Yeah_, your check up. You might not have had one in a while but I still need to update your medical records-"

"You sound like a real doctor now..."

Don's eyebrow twitched with annoyance before he continued, "-it's essential for all of us to have one, just in case. You're at more of a risk than any of us due to your absence... and the fact that you collapsed without probable cause doesn't really place you in the category of 'perfect health' at the moment."

Leo frowned, nodding at his genius brother with a slight dip of his chin, "I understand," His seriousness had only returned for a second before Klunk stood up on his hind legs, nuzzling the leader's face affectionately; the Tabby did not like to be ignored. Leo released a chuckle, returning the act by scratching the feline behind his ears, "Good morning to you too Klunk."

The cat purred gratefully in response.

Don smiled at the display before he stood to his feet, getting Leo's attention by gesturing to the meal that was on the coffee table before him, "April dropped off some of her famous lasange for us yesterday and father made you some tea so... _eat up_. You'll feel a whole lot better after you do."

Leo smiled gratefully up at his brother before the brainy turtle turned and began to walk away and toward his lab. At this point, Klunk had jump down from Leo's lap and began to trot off after Donnie, "Sure thing, doc."

Just as Leo threw his legs over the side of the couch, reaching a hand over to retrieve the fork that had came with plate of cooling lasange, Don's voice called out to him again, "Uh, Leo?"

Leo stopped, turning his head just in time Donnie opening the door to his lab. The genius turtle was looking back at him with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty, as if he was sure if he should say what was on his mind or not, "Yes, Donnie?"

Don paused, inhaling quietly before he spoke again, "What does, '_libérame_' mean?"

One of Leo's hands tighten by his side unconsciously, his jaw tightening inconsciously at the word, "... Why do you ask?"

"Well... you kept on mumbling it before you passed out," He said honestly, shrugging one of his shoulders. Donnie had automatically picked up his brother's discomfort at the question but decided not to call him out on it, "That's a Spanish term, right? Do you know what it means?"

Leo paused in his response, his eyes flickering down to his lap with hesitation before he answered in a low, almost inaudible tone, "_Libérame_... it means '_release me_'... but I have no idea why I would say something like that. I have no reason to."

Don stared back at Leo for a several seconds, unsure if he should press his older brother further or not. The blue clad ninja knew that the other was lying- his discomfort and sudden uneasiness were dead giveaways to that fact- but the real question here was this: why was Leo was lying in the first place. It was just a phrase in another language... unless the phrase held some sort other kind of meaning to the turtle leader. What that was, Donnie had no idea... and it would probably stay a mystery until Leo decided to elaborate on his own.

Don sighed with internal defeat, nodding his head before changing the subject, "Okay... well, make sure you finish eating. When you're done, I'll give you some headache medication just incase."

Leo smiled half-heartedly, "Sure thing, Dr. Don."

The genius automatically narrowed his eyes at the nickname before he vanished into his lab, silently closing the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N**: Ugh, finally! This took a lot longer than I thought it was going to take. (grumble) Anyways, sorry that I kept you guys waiting for this chapter. I hope to update this story every two weeks and/or less so... gently nudge me to update this one on time ^^

I had found out that this story wasn't just for a single challenge at Stealthy Stories, but also for another challenge there as well: The Mythical Seductress Challenge that was put up by Connie. I unknowing took it on and decide... "Ah, why the hell not" XD

What cause Leo to pass out the night before and can't he remember what happened? What does the phrase '_libérame_' mean to him and why does it make him uneasy?

Who was it that was chasing that man at the beginning of the chapter and what does it have to do with this story?

Oh, so many questions to answer~

Stay tuned for the next chapter ^^


	3. Not the Same

**Ghost of NYC**

**Chapter 2 – Not the Same**

_Central Park_

The light from a waxing crescent moon shown down upon an open patch of green, luscious land in a secluded space within the massive park range. The vitalizing touch of Spring has not missed this small section of foliage; even during the night time, every tree and floral being displayed their natural radiance proudly.

... But even through the multiple colors and arrangements of ordinary and extraordinary plants, there was a vast series of floral trees that outshined them all

Sakura- Cherry blossom trees. Those short, reachable trees that brought forth blossoms of vibrant, rosy pink that rivaled the blush of even the fairest woman's cheeks. Their fragrance dominated over all others and, yet, the scent was not powerful or overbearing like lilies or roses were. The scent was sweet, soothing... and wonderfully subtle. It could lull even the most restful of spirits into a subdued, peaceful state.

Donatello sighed contentedly, taking in the sight before him as he reached into his dark brown messenger bag, retrieving a simple Masen jar as he silently approached a tree that seemed to have just recently bloomed. That was good for him- the fresher and younger the blossoms were, the better.

Just as he reached up with his free hand to puck a relatively petal-heavy blossom, he paused, hearing a nearly quiet set of stealthy footsteps approaching his form. He panicked for all but three seconds before he recognized the pattern and the heaviness of the foot falls. He smiled to himself, internally shaking his head at the person that had tried to track silently behind him, "I thought you said you didn't want to come."

A gruff voice responded almost automatically after Donnie finished his statement, "Ain't it obvious? I changed my mind. Yer the genius, ain't ya?"

Don snorted humorlessly at the response, dropping his hand momentarily to turn his attention to the stocky, muscular figure that was slowly approaching him, stepping out of the seclusion of the dense shadows enhanced by the surrounding trees. Don immediately identified the fiery amber eyes, blood red bandana, and dark emerald skin of his immediate older brother, Raphael. Only Raph had footsteps that swift or that heavy; if it had been Mikey, it would have been lighter, less distinct. If it had been Leo... well... more than likely, the genius wouldn't have been able to hear him at all.

The mutant in red crossed his arms over his broad chest as the intellectual other turned his head in order to get a full view of him. Don smirked at him with good humor, "You were the one complaining about not wanting to go because, and I quote, ' _pickin' flowers is too emasculatin_'_... what are ya? A flowa girl_'?"

Raph sucked his teeth, hating how well his younger brother could mock his accent, "Oh I haven't changed my mind 'bout that, lil' brotha. I just figured it would be safer if someone went wit' ya... ya know, wit' Karai and the foot roamin' around and all..."

"Well aren't you _sweet_," Don said dryly before he turned back to his original task, proceeding to gently pick the flower that had caught his eye first. He knew Raph was lying the minute he had opened his mouth. This wasn't the first time Don had left the lair to retrieve something from the world above... and it wasn't the first time he had to do so alone. Besides, Karai was honorable, despite he current position as leader of the foot; she wouldn't just attack one brother while he's alone and minding his own business. So why-

"Why are ya playin' with pretty pink flowas at this time of night, anyway?" Raph asked with a combination of curiosity and mockery, a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, "Ya tryin' ta get in touch wit' yer feminine side or somethin'?"

"No," Don sighed out, spotting several more floral candidates before getting to work with picking them, "They're for Leo."

"...Yer pickin' flowas fer _Fearless_? Shoot, I neva knew you swung that way, Don."

"Can you actually _think_ about what you say before saying it? It could save your life someday," Don snapped back sourly, his head spinning towards Raph with a half-hearted scowl etched upon his face, "And I'm not giving him _flowers_… well, not as they are, anyway."

"… Huh?"

"Master Splinter gave me the idea," The genius turtle began, "I'm going to infuse the essence of cherry blossoms into the loose green tea leaves April usually buys for him from Chinatown," He paused, his eyes flickering back to the delicate blossoms before him, "He likes the smell of both so I thought the combination would make a nice welcome home present. It might make him feel a little better too... you know, with the whole falling-down-the-stairs incident and all."

"... Yeah," Raph said distantly, his previous look of mockery had, by now, dropped completely as Don's words sunk into his mind. It was still a bit odd trying to get used to Leo after he had been gone for such a long time but that didn't mean the former 'Prince of Darkness' didn't care about the leader's well being. Sure, Raph had been intensely angry with his older brother but that was only because Leo had broken his promise without a reasonable explanation.

The fearless leader had promised to come back home a year after training in Central America but, instead, he stayed another year- a total of two years- and, not only that but, nearly stopped sending letters all together. Leo _**never**_ broke his promises without a solid reasoning… so Raphael was both unnerved and frustrated when his brother did just that without a second thought or a warning.

His amber eyes narrowed as he glared at the grass that conformed and bent to the shape of his feet, as if it had done some unspeakably criminal towards him. Another thing that was unnerving him about his big brother was their fight on the rooftop a couple of days after his return. There was something... _off _about the whole thing... and that fact was annoying him more than anything else...

"So..." Raphael glanced up at the sound of Don's voice breaking through the somewhat tense silence that had fallen around them. The genius's shell was facing him but Raph knew that Don was giving him his ... slightly divided attention.

"...So?"

Don chuckled, "_So_, what's on your mind, Raphie?"

"... Nothin'," Raph grunted out, his arm tightened further around his chest.

Don sighed, shaking his head, "Raph... I'm your brother. I _know _you... not to mention the fact that I've been stuck with just you and Mikey for a little over two years now so don't even _try _to lie to me; what's bothering you?"

Raphael remained silent for a moment, his usually intense poker face became lax with worry for all but five seconds before he exhaled a growl, his arms unwinding from over his chest so that he could gesture animatedly with frustration and exasperation, "It's… it's just… ugh! I just don't _get it_, Don!"

"What don't you get?" The genius responded back automatically with a calm, understanding voice; the sound was greatly juxtaposed by Raph's gruffer, more agitated tone. His head turned to the far right, searching the small space of secluded earth and flora to pin point other trees that had fresher blossoms.

"_Leo_, Don; I don't get _Leo_," The hot-headed turtle gesture sharply whenever he stated his older brother's name, his face contorting into a mild scowl as he continued to talk, "Somethin's not makin' sense wit' 'em. Somethin' ain't... ain't _right_ wit' 'em."

Don paused in his search, turning his head in order to look at his hot-headed brother again; _now_, Raph had his _undivided_ attention, "... Care to elaborate a little?"

Raph sighed as he began to fall into a very slow pace, "Like... well, fer one thing, Leo stayed in Central America. He didn't come back home when he was supposed ta... "

"You can't keep bringing that up, Raphie," Don interjected, shaking his head, "We all know what Leo did was wrong—hell, he had us all worried for his well being—but he only did what he felt was right. He—"

Raph sucked his teeth, pointing at the genius with a sharp thrust of his pointer finger, "Oh, get off ya soap box, genius, an' let me finish," He narrowed his amber eyes, walking over to Don until they were only a few feet apart. Raph's emerald green head brushed against one of the lowest branches of the Sakura tree Don was under, "Sure, I was mad at Fearless fer stayin' past his return date… but this is _Leo_ we're talkin' 'bout here. The dude makes homesickness look like some sorta _infectious disease_. He had sent lettas to us every, _freakin'_ day fer the first year he was away... an' then, the one year mark comes an' he nearly falls off the face of the Earth. I mean, what the hell is _that_?"

Don's blinked with bewilderment, his curiosity peeked, but he chose to simply listen to his older brother vent out his frustrations.

Raph growled lightly, turning around and away from other's inquiring gaze, opting to glare at the grass below once again. His fisted hands rested against his hips, his posture taking on an aggressively contemplative stance, "And then there's the fact that he won't talk 'bout what happened ova there. Leo has always told us _everythin'_, even if they were things that he wasn't too proud of. He comes back and, next thing ya know, he clams up like a freakin' ghost every time one of us even _mentions_ his time in the jungle, let alone asks 'em 'bout it. And, _then_, there's…"

Raph paused, clenching his teeth, his arms quickly reached up to cross over his chest once again. A gentle breeze whispered by, filling in the short space of silence that had followed immediately after Raph cut his own rant short.

"…There's what?" Don promoted hesitantly, his eyes narrowing slightly at Raph's shell. He had a feeling about what his brother was reluctant to divulge to him. After all, there was only one other thing other than the mysteries of Leo's late return that the genius was in the dark about… and that thing would be—

"There's… there's that fight me and Fearless had on the rooftop… 'fore he was kidnapped by The Stone Generals," Raph said reluctantly, his face still turned away from his brother as he talked, "He fought… different?" The statement seemed to come out more like a question.

"Different how?"

"Like…," Raph started again before sighing, "Well… before Leo had knocked my helmet off, before he even knew it was _me_ under that thing, … it was kind of like he was just… _playin'_ wit' me."

"Playing with you?" Don's eye ridges flew up with contained surprise.

Raph nodded curtly, his feet shifted and his hips slanted as he put pressure on his right foot, "Yeah… like I was some sorta toy or somethin'. Like… like he could _crush_ me if he wanted ta. He kept on tauntin' me, jumpin' and movin' around my attacks as if they were nothin'. He even took a full out blow from my fist, Don; he barely even _flinched_."

The hot-head paused for a brief moment before continuing, his head shifting toward Don's direction but his face was still not visible, "And then when he _did_ find out it was me—get this—he started ta _hold back_. Che, can ya believe that shit? Fearless was holdin' back in a fight wit' _me_? Unheard of, right?"

"Well…," Don started with a dazed, uncertain expression, his gaze shifting from Raph's shell, to the grass below his feet, to the slightly filled Masen jar in his hands, and back to Raph again. From what he could remember about his two older brothers' fights and sparring matches, Leo always had a hard time keeping up with Raph's randomized attacks, his brutal, ridiculous strength, and his nearly unbreakable grappling holds. Leo won most of the time but Raph had his days as well. To hear that Leo was playin' around with Raph during a fight, or even _held back_ in a fight with the hot-head, was extremely unbelievable, "Well, I suppose…"

"_Exactly!_" Raph sudden, echoing exclamation caused Don to jump slightly in response, "And ya know what ticks me off the most about the whole fight? Leo… the bastard actually _let _me win. Heh, can ya believe that? Fearless _let _me knock his sorry ass ta the ground after I broke his swords… and ya know what's worst _still _in this whole situation?"

Raph paused, turning swiftly around to face his brainy brother again, his amber eyes troubled, puzzled, and filled with worry for his brother, "I… I almost killed 'em."

Don's chocolate eyes widen, his form moved closer to his older brother with hesitant, uncertain footsteps, the collection of extraction candidates long forgotten, "W-what?"

"Yeah… I… I had my sai pointed at his throat," one of Raph's hands unwound from around their crossed state, reaching up to grip his own neck gingerly, grimacing as if it had maintained some sort of wound or damage of its own, "I was caught between lettin' my rage take ova and stoppin' myself from killin' my own brother… but what stopped me—what _really_ stopped from goin' through wit' it—was his eyes."

Raph paused again, his eyes falling with brief shame before he forced himself to maintain eye contact with Don, "The way he looked at me… it was like he didn't care if I actually did it or not. Like… like death wasn't a big deal."

Don swiftly came to Leo's defense, trying to explain his oldest brother's actions, if at all, "Did you think of the possibility that he knew you weren't going to hurt him? That he trusted that you would do no harm to him?"

Raph shook his head, "Don, I didn't even trust _myself_ at the time. There was no fear, no anger, no surprise…. No nothin'. It was just like… like he didn't… _care_."

* * *

**A/N**: Finally! Ugh, this chapter feels a bit tedious to me but now that I got this out of the way, I can move onto the more juicy stuff… like who that person was that was chasing that man down in chapter one and what happened to Leo while he was in Central America… well, in my supernatural opinion anyway XP

So, Raph didn't know how to take Leo's subservience to death, that is why (to me anyway) he withdrew from his brother so quickly… that, and he was disgusted with his own rage at Leo.

More coming soon (hopefully sooner than this one) and let me know about your thoughts of the story so far.


	4. Stranger Than Fiction

**Ghost of NYC**

**Chapter 3 – Stranger than Fiction**

It had been a while since Michelangelo had one of _those_ dreams.

Most of his basic dreams were been filled with happy, jovial, sometimes nonsensical, content, like dancing, masochistic pizzas that merrily chanted 'eat me' or undocumented, unrealistic adventures with his favorite superheroes from the comic books he read on a daily basis. Then, there were the occasional nightmares—namely the ones that were about evil little mini humans chasing him around and beating him up with gigantic, plastic nunchucks.

_**This**_, however… this was obviously different from his usual dreams. That's how he knew it was one of _those_ dreams. _Those_ dreams that whispered helpful and invaluable advice at the most prudent of times. _Those_ dreams that sometimes sent chills up his spine and goose bumps over his skin, severely creeping him out while, also, empowering him with hints and accurate warnings of future perils. _Those_ dreams that sometimes enlightened him, opening his mind's eyes to the important, crucial things he had missed or overlooked while walking about the land of consciousness.

That's why he knew that it was time to pay attention and put on his serious face… even if his dreams of heroism and crime fighting as the Turtle Titan had been so rudely interrupted in the process…

The orange loving trickster took a deep, searching breath, bracing himself for the unknown before his baby blues opened to a foggy, nebulous dreamscape. Small, unidentifiable balls of light floated at the fringes of his peripheral vision but every time he tried to turn and focus in on one of them, they'd vanish or shift suddenly out of sight.

Mikey, after several seconds of scanning over his vague, hazy surroundings, sighed with frustration. Besides the slowly drifting mist that danced, swirled, enveloped and invaded every inch of the realm before him—at least from what he could see, anyway—there was nothing else in view that was worth noting.

"…O-kay," He grumbled out, his face fell into a dull expression as his shoulders slumped forward with exasperation. He placed his fisted hands on his hips and lazily glared off ahead, as if he had finally spotted the phantasmagoric presence that was responsible for interrupting his dreams, "Look, if this is supposed to be some sort of 'window-into-your-fate' kind of thing, then could you be a bit more… oh, I don't know… _**quick**_ about it? Seriously, I mean, me and the Silver Sentry were about to—"

He was cut off mid rant when the mist shifted suddenly, hissing curtly but lowly as if to shush him. Tendrils of the formless fog brushed gently, almost intimately, against him, caressing his calves, shoulders and cheeks. He relaxed himself almost instantly before the dreamy haze brushed and parted away from his person, providing him with personal space once again. He sighed again, shifting his weight to one foot as he smoothed a hand over his bald head, "Look, I'm not trying to rush this whole freaky deaky creepy dream guidance thing but I'd like to get some sort of hint here. Like, what is this all about? Throw me a bone or something? Please?"

The mist shifted automatically to his last questioning words, parting further and forming into shapes and objects that were starting to look more familiar to the orange-loving mutant. It whispered breathlessly to him, incoherent words brushed against his ears as the brilliant, nameless colors and unseen speckles of light faded away into a setting that was extremely commonplace for him: a long, cylindrical sewer tunnel. When the new location firmed and stabilized, Mikey couldn't help but notice several things that weren't quite… right.

The tunnel that he assumed was being represented to him—one of the many that he and his family would passed by on their way to the surface—was supposed to be simple and straight, only a couple of yards deep before it turned into a visible dead end. This tunnel, however, was slightly distorted, twisting in a way that would remind you of a mangled, abandoned series of train cars. He could still see the dreamscape's mist swirl and move at the corners of his vision, hiding in the shadows that the dark atmosphere provided. The tunnel was longer and it seemed to wind behind him like an endless, unpredictable maze. Before him, the dead end seemed to be harder to see, the curved walls elongated and twisted in a way that made it harder for Michelangelo to determine where the turn started.

He felt like he'd just stepped into a Tim Burton movie…

A shiver ran up his spine as he rubbed his arms, trying to warm and smooth over the goose bumps that had formed on his flesh. He didn't know if the reaction was caused by the eerie nature of the dream or if it was because of the sudden chill that had blown over him; either way, he didn't like where all of this was going, especially if it has something to do with a route near the lair.

He gulped, hesitantly dropping his hands to his sides as he slowly began to move forward, realizing that he was wading through knee high sewage water. He glanced down briefly, unable to make out the contents of the putrid smelling liquid that churned around his feet through the darkness but decided against it. The faster he was able to get through this dream, the faster he would wake up.

As he got closer to his supposed destination, he was able to make out the sounds of quietly, unintelligibly spoken words resonating and bouncing off of the curved concrete walls. He couldn't see anyone just yet but he could tell that they were either female or prepubescent. Apart of him wondered why either would be in such a place; humans didn't come down to the underground and hide away in dark, smelly tunnels just to find a place to talk to themselves. They could do that in the safety and privacy of their own homes. Perhaps it was a young runaway? Or… or perhaps it was a _mutant_?

His curiosity was quickly answered, however, when he rounded the corner, spotting someone standing before the dead end wall, their back facing him. Their softly spoken words, whatever they were, had suddenly ceased when the unknown person came into Mikey's vision, as if they didn't want the trickster to hear the content of the words once he was in earshot.

The unknown figure stood at an average height of five feet, four inches and was shielded from view by a long hooded cloak. The fabric of the garment was tattered and ratty, as if it and it's current owner had a long and heavy story to tell. Silence invaded the space as a chill running over Mikey's skin, down his spine, and through his veins as he pushed himself not to get scared.

…

…Wait, _scared_? Heh, why the hell was _he_ scared? He was a flipping mutant, a ninja master of the nunchuku, a part time superhero, _**and**_ the Battle Nexus Champion. If _anyone_ should be afraid, it's—

"_Stay away…,"_ The voice of the hooded figure sliced through the air like a lethally sharpened blade. The words were hissed out lowly, but, for some reason, that made it far more creepier than a growl or a yell. It stopped him in his tracks for a few seconds before he pushed himself forward once again.

'_M-man, why does it feel like I just entered a slasher movie all of the sudden…'_ He thought, gulping as he reluctantly pressed on, _'Okay Mikey… this is only a dream. J-just relax… just… just get it over with…. Remember… it's just a __**dream**__…'_

Before the orange loving trickster knew it, he was directly behind the mysterious other, standing a good six feet away. From where he was now, he could see a bit of long, brunette hair spilling out of the corner of the other's hood, as well as a sliver of tanned flesh—a cheek—that seemed to be slightly dirtied by grim, moss, and… blood?

His mouth and throat suddenly became dry when the person's head turned further towards him, revealing the curved outline of an elegant, female face. Her body turned towards him as well, only slightly revealing a curvy, womanly frame beneath a long, tattered gown. His skin began to crawl and the chill in his veins hardened into ice as he noticed the…

… the still congealing blood that was painted on her newly revealed forearm, as if she had dipped it into a vat of red life essence. He had only looked down to see it dangling limply at her side for a split second but that was all he needed to know what the substance was.

His hands began to shake but he swiftly stopped the tremors by fisting them tightly at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. He licked his lips before he took a hesitant step forward, reducing the distance between them by a foot; only five feet between them now, "U-uh, Dudette… are… are you hurt…?"

Another step; four feet left, _'It's just a dream, Mikey. Relax…'_

When she didn't answer or move, he continued to talk, "Did… did someone attack you? A dude? O-or another dudette?"

The silence continued to deafen.

He took another step; three feet…, _'Keep it cool. It's not real. N-none of this is real…'_

He would have thought that she was a statue if it hadn't been for the fact that she had moved earlier and that he could feel her eyes burning into him from beyond her long, mocha bangs. His heart was racing wildly in his chest at this point, beating a whopping thousand miles per minute.

_Two feet left…_

"…Dudette?" He asked uncertainly, slowly reaching a hand out to questioningly grasp her shoulder.

_**One foot…**_

Before his hand could fall down upon the surface of his shoulder, her opposite hand—also drenched in blood—shot forward, swiftly wrapping and tightening around his outstretched wrist. Mikey hissed at the sudden pain that shot up his arm, his visually stronger looking frame contorted mildly with obvious discomfort.

"No me toques…" (1) the smooth, feminine voice whispered out menacingly, her face turning further as her long sea of brown hair parted slowly until a set of exotic, almond shaped eyes became visible to him. His breathing stopped dead in his chest when he caught sight of how unfeeling, how soulless, how _lifeless_, her eyes looked, as if those eyes had seen far more than he, a warrior, could ever see. She was a beautiful girl, he had to admit, but looked so worn and grimy, covered in a light layer of earth, dust and—obviously—blood.

He released a cry of discomfort as her hand tightened further while simultaneously twisting his arm, bringing him to his knees. His big blue eyes flashed up to hers, pain and question flashing in them as he released a stuttered breath, "W-what do you want…?"

For the first time since he had seen her, her stone cold expression became lax as she provided a seemingly innocent smile, her head tilted to the side nonchalantly, "Tengo lo que quiero. …Quiero que siga siendo así." (2)

Mikey would have given her a 'WTF' look if he wasn't in such pain. He knew she could speak English so what was with the language swap all of the sudden? "W-wha…?"

She eyes narrowed into slits, she leaned forward until her nose was nearly touching his, her scentless breath fanned over his face like a icy breeze. How was such a little woman able to scare him and immobilize him in such a way? "El alma de tu hermano me pertenece a mí. Él es _mío_ ahora…" (3)

* * *

_April and Casey's Apartment_

Michelangelo's eyes snapped open as he inhaled sharply, his head jolting up from the wooden surface of the kitchen that he had unceremoniously passed out on. He exhaled roughly, his eyes suddenly squinted as the bright lights that hung from the kitchen ceiling blazed into his vision, causing his pupils to restrict.

A head of brilliant red hair turned swiftly at the sound of Mikey jolting awake from his slumber. The wide, green eyes of April O'Neil locked onto the youngest turtle brother's, tensed, alerted frame, blinking with bewilderment at his very sudden reaction. The woman could have sworn that the other was out like a light several moments ago… heck, he was even drooling.

"… Mikey?"

"Uh… Huh?" The trickster said absentmindedly, turning his light colored eyes to his friend who was currently standing at the stove, cooking something that smelled like well seasoned chicken, "W-wha… Whazat?"

The red head blinked at her disoriented friend once again before she laughed lightly at him, shaking her head at his illogical words, "Good morning to you too, sunshine? Had a nice nap?"

"Ugh…n-nah…," was his answer after several seconds of gathering his bearings, relieved to find himself in the realm of reality once again and not that… place. He had never been so disturbed by the visions the dreamscape provided him before… then again, he didn't go there on a regular basis either. Master Splinter had always told him to be prepared for _anything_ whenever he was taken there unexpectedly… that was, now, including creepy, blood drenched, cloaked, bilingual women standing alone at the dead ends of tunnels, "I… I feel like my head just got pounded to smithereens by a gravity hammer…" (4)

She snorted, rolling her eyes as she turned her head back around, bring her full attention to the dinner she was making, "What is up with you guys and making references to video games as if I _know_ what you're talking about?"

"Ah… heh, s-sorry Ape," Mikey said sheepishly before yawning widely, lifting his hand to cover his gaping mouth "It's, like, second nature to us."

She sighed playfully as she stirred the contents within the frying pan, a low sizzle is heard when she did so, "Right, teenage boys and their toys…"

Mikey laughed lightly, getting ready to drop his hand back down to the table top when, suddenly, a dull but recognizable pain coiled around his wrist, causing him to suddenly groan lowly in discomfort. The youngest turtle blinked in bewilderment, his eyes slowly falling on the pained area only to find…

Bruises… heavy bruises encircling his entire wrist… in the shape of a slender, womanly hand.

His eyes widened as a fright traveled through his body like wild fire. That wasn't possible… it couldn't have been the dream, could it? There was no way….

"Hey! You guys!" Casey's voice pierced the quieted air suddenly, causing the trickster to jump in his seat, startled by the sudden out burst. The muscular, raven haired man came running into the kitchen, causing the two occupants of the kitchen to turn around and face him, "Come in the livin' room, pronto!"

April's eyebrows furrow with worry, wondering why her boyfriend was being so adamant about the request, "Is everything okay?"

"Nah, ya need ta check out what the news lady is sayin'," He said, pointing off behind himself, "There's a serial killa in the city!"

April and Mikey both exchanged looks of surprise and uncertainty before they moved into action, briskly following Casey out of the kitchen without a second thought, the chicken left unattended.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

**(1) **_**"No me toques…"**_: Don't/Do not touch me…

**(2) **_**"Tengo lo que quiero. …Quiero que siga siendo así."**_: I have what I want. …I want to keep it that way.

**(3) **_**"El alma de tu hermano me pertenece a mí. Él es mío ahora…"**_: Your brother's soul belongs to me. He is _mine_ now.

**(4)** Reference to Halo XD

* * *

**A/N**: Okay… if I thought that the chapter before was tedious, this was _**extremely**_ tedious to me. I don't know if you guys thought the same thing. *shrug* This was an extremely visual chapter; you guys really had to put your imaginations to work here XD;;;.

I hope I described everything well enough without being too much of a killjoy with it. I also hope that I achieved some semblance of suspense. I truly hope you guy enjoyed and please stay tuned for the next chapter.

Oh! Also, I'm sorry if the Spanish is off or incorrect. It's not my first language XD

**Inspirations for this chapter**: Alice: Madness Returns (the OSTs, gameplay, theme, _everything_ overall), Ghost Hunt (episodes 14-17 in specific), Aha! by Imogen Heap, Nightmare on Elm Street (just the trailers XD;;)


End file.
